A Beginner's Guide to Green Building: What the forest sector needs to know about USGBC & LEED

The Green Building movement is a significant and growing phenomenon both domestically and internationally. The leading program for evaluating and recognizing green buildings is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). At the end of 2004, there were more than 1,700 LEED-registered buildings and this number is predicted to grow to nearly 10,000 by the end of 20091. With standards for everything from water conservation to material selection, the USGBC’s LEED program is already having significant impact on nearly all sectors of the building industry, including forest products.